Safety-tread.



J. T. SIMPSON,

SAFETY TREAD.

APPLIOATION FILED DBO. 24,1908.

Patented; May 3l, 1910.

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M if H 6 xi N- rllm W ffm/5 L Attorneys.

UNTED STATES PATEN GFFICE.

JOHN T. SIMPSON, OF NEWARK, NEJV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN B. 'i/VRIGHT, OF NEXVRK, NEW JERSEY.

SAFETY-TREAD.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it lrnotvn that Jon'N T. Siirrson, a citizen of the United States, and a resident ofthe city of Newark, county of Essex, State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Safety-Tread, of which the folloiving is a specioation.

The object l have in vieriv is the production of a safety tread for side Wallis, steps, floors and other surfaces Which will be cheap to construct, cheap and simple to install, Which may be used in connection with concrete or cement. Work, and when so used Will be flush, leaving no recesses, grooves or pochets to accumulate dirt.

Further objects are to produce a safety tread, which, .vhen applied to concrete Work.y ivill be `efliciently and effectively anchored therein, and Which ivill bind the concrete together and thereby reinforce it, preventing cracking and splitting.

Further objects are to produce a tread which may be applied to large areas and in connection with steps or curbs can bc applied to the edge thereof.

These and further objects u'ill appear from the following specification and accompanying drawings, considered together or separately.

In the drawings, Figure l represents a sheet properly cut, so as to form the foundation of one embodiment of my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective vieiv of the same, showing the lingers bent up to produce the pockets for holding the iiomslipping niaterial and the reinforcing edge member; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the edge and side of a step formed of concrete or cement. showing the invention applied thereto; Fig. 4; is a section on the line of Fig. I3; Eig. 5

is a plan vienT of the foundation with the pockets for holding the non-slipping material, and illustrating' a joint betiveen the contiguous portions of the foundation; Fig. 6 is a section on the line G of Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 is a detail view of a modification.

ln all the vieivs like parts are designated by the saine reference characters.

In carrying out my invention, l provide a foundation l, .vhich, as is shown, is made of sheet material,-preferably sheet metal. 0n this foundation are pocliets 2 for holding the blocks 3 which form the Wearing surfaces. The material of Which the blocks are formed may be any suitable substance Specification of Letters atent.

Application filed December 24, 1908.

Patented May 31, 1910.

serial no. 469,071.

adaptable to the purpose, such as lead, carborundum or any other suitable non-slipping material. The upper surface of the blocls 3 is preferably liush ivith the upper edge of the pocket, as shoivn in lligs. et and 7. Between the pockets are strips a, forining anchoragesor foundation pieces. These strips form anchorages when the device is applied to cement or concrete Work, and form foundation pieces ivhcn the device is not embedded in cement or concrete, but is applied to the surface of the support, as to the Wooden steps, shown in Fig. T. rlhe strips 4 are shoivn as substantially upon the same plane as the bottom of the pockets Q. When the device is used upon concrete or cement wvorl, as shown in Fig. et, the concrete or cement 5 lying between the pockets unites ivith the supporting base of concrete or cement below the foundation l, through openings G, such openings lying between the pockets and also between the strips l.

@ne way of making the foundation, together with the pockets and the strips, is by utilizing sheet metal, as shown in Fig. l. rThis metal is formed with longitudinal slits .7 and transverse slits 8. These slits, as shown in TEig. l, run in regular lines, the ends of the longitudinal slits intersecting the middles of the transverse slits, thus providing` tivo flaps 9-9, one on each side of a longitudinal slit, the edges of the flaps being defined by the slits 'T and 8. rlhese flaps 9 may then be bent upward bevond 90 deg., so as to produce the pockets 2. rl`hese pockets ivill therefore be formed a dove tail shapm-thut is to say, their bases will be broader than their tops. rl`his Will retain the blocks 23 Within the pockets and prevent their coming out in an upward direction. When the device is embedded in cement or concrete, the latter Will retain the blocks against longitudinal movement,

rhe spaces betiveen the bases of the flaps are uncut so as to produce the strips 4, vvhile the space formerly occupied by the material Which provides the [lap 9 Will produce the opening G. The foundation will be of the shape shoivn in Fig. 2, and the blocks i3 may be inserted either after or before the pockets Q are bent to final forni.

rl`he foundation With the blocks upon it constitutes a complete article of manufacture, which may be vended in that condition. To apply it to concrete or cement Work, the

latter is built up so as to form a support for the foundation 1, and the spaces 6 between the pockets are filled with cement or concrete uniting the base of concrete through the openings 6 with the cement or concrete above the foundation, and tying the entire concrete or cement structure together. This concrete or cement, passing through the openings 6, will thereby produce an eectire anchorage for the foundation, and the latter being embedded in the concrete or cement, will reinforce it and thereby greatly strengthen it and reduce the liability of cracking and breaking. Another advantage of having the non-slipping material in short blocks is that, when embedded in the concrete or cement as shown, the cement or concrete on each side of a row of blocks will be joined together at short intervals, thus forming a connecting surface, equalizing strains and reducing cracking.

The tread may be applied to wooden or other surfaces, as shown in Fig. 7, by applying a plate 10 having openings corresponding to the pockets 2, such plate lying over the foundation 1 and resting against the latter, the pockets passing through the openings in the plate. Then this plate also engages with the ends of the blocks 3 and prevents longitudinal movement later. The edges of the plate may be lapped over the edges of the foundation 1, as shown in Fig. 7 at 11, thus uniting the foundation to the plate. The tread thus formed may be attached to its supporting foundation by means of nails, screws or other suitable fastenings.

Another feature of my invention consists in providing the tread with a member for reinforcing the edge of a stair, curb or similar structure. This member is shown at 12 and may be in the embodiment illustrated formed integrally with the foundation 1.

Fig. 1 illustrates one Way of forming the member 12, pieces 13 being cut out forming openings 14. Those portions of the strips 4, connecting the member 12 with the rest of the foundation, will be no longer than those portions of the strip between the contiguous pockets, as they will be the length of the openings 14, plus the length of a flap 9, forming the row of pockets adjacent to the member 12. This portion 15 of the strip 4 is bent upward at an angle, so thatl the upper edge of the member 12 can be brought to the same plane as the upper edge of the pockets. The member 12 can be curved, as shown in Fig. 4, so as to form an ornamental protection for the upper edge of the stair, curb or other structure. The concrete or cement, which is necessary to ll the space under and behind the member 12, will enter through the opening 14, as well as through the openings 6.

Another feature of my invention consists in providing means for connecting together a number of foundation members, so that a surface of any desired extent may be produced. One way of attaining this object is shown in Figs. 5 and 6, which illustrate two foundation members overlapping one another and connected together. In order to secure sufficient locking connection, the overlapping portion lof one foundation member is offset at 16 (Fig. 6) to an extent equal to the thickness of the material constituting the adjoining foundation member, and is provided with openings 17, which admit the pockets of such adjoining member. By passing the edge row of pockets in one of the members through the openings 17 in the other, the two members will be locked together. This idea may be applied in both directions, z'. e., either in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the blocks or at right angles thereto.

Tn accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but T desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative and that the invention can be carried out in other ways.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A safety tread, comprising a sheet foundation, flaps bent upward forming pockets between the flaps, blocks within the pockets, openings between the pockets in one direction and strips between the pockets in the other direction, such strips separating the openings, in combination with a cementitious supporting medium within which the sheet is buried, the said medium lying within the openings and also lying tween the ends of the blocks.

2. A safety tread having a sheet foundation, rectangular flaps bent upward forming rectangular pockets between the flaps, oblong blocks within the pockets, rectangular openings between the pockets in one direction and rectangular strips between the pockets in the other direction, said strips separating the openings, in combination with a cementitious support-ing medium within which the foundation is buried, the medium lying within the openings and also lying between the ends of the blocks.

3. A safety tread having a sheet foundation, rectangular flaps bentI upward forming oblong pockets between the flaps, oblong blocks within the pockets, rectangular openings between the pockets lying adjacent to the long side of the blocks, and strips between the ends of the blocks and separating the openings, in combination with a cementitious supporting medium within which the foundation is buried, the medium lying within the openings and also lying between the ends of the bloels.

4. A safety tread formed of a supporting foundation immersed in a eementitious supporting medium, the said foundation having pockets with a non-slipping surface supported thereby, said surface being in the form of strips of non-slipping material interrupted at short intervals, the eenientitious material lying in the interruptions.

5. A safetg7 tread formed of a cementitious supportand a sheet foundation having l pockets, the said foundation being embedded in the support, blocks of non-slipping material within the pockets, suoli blocks being arranged in rows and interrupted at short intervals, the place of interruption in the several rows being coincident, and the eementitious material lying within the places of interruption.

G. A safety tread formed of a sheet metal foundation with pockets therein extending` upward therefrom, in Combination with a second sheet Connected to the same, the said second sheet having openings through which the poekets of the first. sheet pass.

7. A safety tread formed of a sheet metal foundation, with pockets therein extending upward therefrom, in Combination with a second sheet connected to the same, the second sheet being offset to the extent of the thickness of the material, and having openings through whieh a row of pockets of the first sheet passes.

8. A safety tread formed of a sheet. metal. foundation, formed with pockets therein extending upward therefrom, in combination with a second sheet overlapping the same, there being looking means for the two sheets, said looking means Comprising an opening in the overlapping sheet into which a pocket in the overlapped sheet passes.

9. A safety tread formed of a sheet foundation, pockets on the foundation, blocks within the pockets and openings between the pockets, said blocks being interrupted atshort intervals, in Combination with a Cementitious medium in which the foundation is buried, said medium lying within the openings and uniting on both sides of the intervals, and also extending within the intervals between the blocks.

This speeieation signed and witnessed this 23rd day of Dee., 1908.

JOHN T. SIMPSON.

VVit-nesses:

LEONARD H. DYER, JOHN L. LoTsoH. 

